Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-15
CLEVELAND WILL NOT GO.
LETTER DECLINING THE INVITATION
TOTHE GAR. ENCAMPMENT.
He Must Protect the Dignity of the Peo-
pies Highest Ofice-He will not be
the Cause of the Non-Attendance
of Several of the Posts

ST. LOUIS. July 7.-President Cleveland
has written letter to Mayor Francis of
this city in which, after saying that when
he received the invitation to visit st. Louis !
during the G. A. r., encampment, he fully
expected to be present, he says:
Immediately upon the public announce
mcnt OF the COnClustOn.c expressions cmanating
from certain inn Ortunt members Of the Grand |
Army OF the kepAblic, aud Icrcasin.- IN vol !
ume and virulcncc, constrained m to review
the acceptance OF the lnVitutipn. Tue express.
siOns referred 10 60 to the extent of declaring
that wOud hc al uuwci 'omc guest at the
tmc and place Of the ucNt national cmcamp-
mcnt. rms statement il b1scl !, IL well as
can Judge, upon cert IN Official acts OF nine
involving important iuCrce'- don" under the
rcstrdi. II and OBLIGATIONS OF my oath of Ollic'
which do not appear to accord with til" wishes
of some members of the Grdud Army 81 tnt
Republic.
refuse to believe that hi, organizations
! founded upon patriotic idrhS. composed worry
Largely OF men entitled 10 lasting honor and
consideration, ana whose ,rp"nl . glory il
should he That they are American citZcus i3s
wen as veteran soldiers, icons II pat ol it,
mi sion to compass any obi .'t or purpO @ by
at cmptiug 70 intimid1te the cNccutiN" or
CDCiCe those churg Il WITH mtkiug and OK
ecutinQ the laws. Anl yet the expressions to
which have referred indicate such ptcva
| lcnCr OF Uuiucudly feeling and such menace
! 10 an occasion which should he h I'm nious.
! peaceful and cordial that they cannot be
| ignored.
beg you to understand that I am not coll
| sClOus OF any net OF mine " hIch should make
! me tear to meet the Crane AruN of the Re
| public or any other u~scu- huEe OF my lchow
| citizens The account of my olhcHi steward
| snip l. always ready Tor presentation TO my
| cuuutrymrn. Sh ,uld not ii. frank # failed
to cont -, whie dl,cialn.ne all rcscu'melt,
| That have been hurt 10y tHc unworthy a d
wanton attacks upon me Erpwi z Uut OF the
| maj ter. and the RECKLESS manner in winch nay
| actions uud motives have been mIsiUprcsCnI-
| ed, moth publicly and privately, for winch,
| however. thc Grand Arny oil jhc l.cpuo,c,
"a Al 4 T., ltN M, 90 ,ln
The threat of personal violence and harm,
| in case undertake the trip in question, whi h
scores of misguided, UNBALANCED men under
| the stimulation OF excited feeling have made,
| are not even considered. Rather than dban-
| don my visit to he. West and disappOiut your
| citizens, | might, # ! alone we're concerned,
| submit to the insult, to which it is quite
| openly asserted ! would be hclplcssly sub
| iectcd if present at the cncanpmenI but
| | should bear with me there tn peoples
| highest office, the dignity Of which must
project. and believe that neither the Grand
Army Of the republic as AN organization nor
| anyth ny like IN 1Or1ty OF ITS members
wound ever encourage any scandaous attack
| upon it, If, however, among tne member
| shlu of this bOIy there are some, as certainly
| seems to he the case, determined to dCnUuncC
| me and my oihci acts at the national en-
| ctmUmcnt, believe the should be permit
| ted to do so unrestrancd 10y my presence Il
| guest OF this organization, or as a guest OF
| the hospltabe city III which their meeting is
| held.
A number o Grand Army posts have signi
| fled their intention, am informed, TO remain
| away from the eucampmcnt III case visit the
| city at that time. Without considering the
| merit OF such excuse | feel that | ought not
| to be the cause of such hon-attendlnct. The
| time and place of the ncau pmcnt wer; fix d
| long before my invitations were received.
| Those desiring to participate in the proceed
| luEs Sh .uld he flrSt T, gdrded, and nothing
should be allowed to interfere with their in
IGNITION
Another consideration of more Importance
| than ali others remains to be noticed. The
| Tact was referred to by you when you verbal
| ly presented the invitation of the citizens OF
| It Louis that the coming encampment OF the
| Grand Army of the Republic would be the
| first held IN Il Southern state. | suppose this
| Tact was mentioned as pleasing incident OF
| the trdtCrndl tecAnE fast gaining ground
| throughout the entire land and hailed by
| every patriotic citizen as an earnest that the
| nation has really and in fact been saved III
| sentiment and spirit with all the Oencnts IT
| NOucnSaies to the people.
can not rid myself of the belief that the
least dlscord on tins propitious occasion might
| re ard the progress OF the >entImt nt OF com
! mon brotherhood which the Grand Army OF
| the RepubuC has so good an opportunity to
increase and foster. certainly ought not to
! be the cause of such discOri in any event OF
! upon any preteXts. II seems to mo that you
| and the citizens OF 81. Louis arce Titled 10 the
! unIC>ervcd statement OF the conditions which
! have constrained me to tOrcgO my contem-
! plated vs ana to withdraw my acceptance to
| your invitation,
| My presence in YOUR city at the time you
| have Indicated ctn bc of tut little nom Mt
/ compared with the Importance of IA cordial
and a harmonious sentiment Of your other
guests. assure you that abandon my plan
without the least personal feeling or regret,
constrained thereto 10y Il sense of duty ,Hctudt-
~ 10y desire to save any embarrassment T.,
| the people OF st. LOUIS or their exp, ctcd
guests, and with a heart full OF grateful APP
probation OF the sincere and unailcctcd kind
ness of your citizens.
topping Inc cucampment may be an occa
sion OF much usefulness and that its proceed.
IN. may iIuSt ate the highest patriotism OF
American citizenship, am yours very SIN
Cerely. GROVER CLEVELAND.